Rants, thoughts and comments from another Rick in Canada

Prayers of the People for Ash Wednesday

Acknowledging our dependence on God, we pray for the world God loves, the church God calls, and all people according to what they need, saying “Christ who faced the cross,” and responding, “Turn our eyes to you.”

[Short pause]

God who inspires repentance, you are gracious and merciful; you are full to overflowing with love. You continually reach out to us. Help us recognize this gift. Help us respond. Christ who faced the cross,
Turn our eyes to you.

God who inspires hope, today is the acceptable day; today is the day of salvation. Assist us not to wait for some future day of glory. Assist us to live your promise now. Christ who faced the cross,
Turn our eyes to you.

God who inspires service, turn us away from our selfishness; turn us toward our neighbour. Show us how we can meet the needs around us. Christ who faced the cross,
Turn our eyes to you.

God who inspires reconciliation, bring healing between people who are divided by anger, hatred, war, religious differences, or simply fear of the other. Strengthen us to be peacemakers in this broken world. Christ who faced the cross,
Turn our eyes to you.

God who inspires ministry, you call us to pray in secret, but also to let our light shine. Remind us that all your gifts are not only given to us, but are to be given through us. Help us to forgive as we have been forgiven, to feed as we have been fed, to comfort as we have been comforted, to challenge as we have been challenged, to free as we have been freed. Christ who faced the cross,
Turn our eyes to you.

We offer all these prayers, as well as the deep yearnings of our hearts, to you, gracious and merciful God, in the name of Jesus, who taught us to pray,